Within 10 years Ford’s global sales will be cast in green, report says

By 2020, up to 25% of Ford Motor Co.'s global sales volume will be a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle, according to Nancy Gioia, its director of global electrification.

Gioia spoke during the Automotive News Green Car Conference and Exhibition in Detroit. However, she says that this figure could go as low as 10% since demand is unpredictable as technology changes quickly.

She states that the range of electric vehicles in five years can´t be certain. She also pointed out that consumers have yet to fully accept hybrids and electric vehicles. What she is convinced of is the drop in the price of batteries and the increase in their energy density.

A Ford Fusion Hybrid has a price that's about $3,500 more than the equivalent standard Fusion. Within the next three years, Ford will present at least five new vehicles that are powered by lithium ion batteries.

Next year, Ford will launch an electric version of the Transit Connect small van and in 2011, a Focus electric is set to arrive.

In 2012, Ford will introduce a plug-in hybrid and its next-generation hybrid powertrain. She anticipates that by 2020, about 70% of Ford's electrified vehicles would be hybrids.

About 20-25% will be plug-ins and the remaining portion is composed of pure electrics. Currently, about 2% of Ford vehicles are electrified (hybrids, plug-ins or electrics).